Phantom's Girl or Not?
by talapadme
Summary: This is a story written by SweetStealer and Talapadme. We hope you enjoy it. It is a cross between Naruto and the Phantom of the Opera, of which we don't own either. Pairings: SasukeXHinataXItachiEnjoy!
1. The Slackened Grip

Collab: TalaPadme and SweetStealer

Cast:

Christine: Hinata.

Meg: Ino.

Phantom: Itachi.

Raoul: Sasuke.

Madame Giry: Tsunade.

Andre: Jiriya.

Fermin: Kakashi.

Senora G:Sakura

Conductor: Iruka

Eric Boucle: Naruto.

New Characters:

Neji plays her protective cousin. Duh.

TenTen is a friend of Hinata. Another dancer.

The Akatsuki plays a band on miscreants that hang out with Itachi.

----

Prologue: The Slackened Grip

The crimson curtain was crowned with a gold lining, intricate and decorative in design. It fell to the wooden stage and billowed outwards gracefully as shadows whisked around behind it, preparing for the show. It was a high class show where only the Clan heads would go to discuss 'private' problems and where the famous would go to escape reality.

Hinata figited as she shifted uncomfortably in her dress: the latest fashion that was quickly kicking out traditional kimonos. Her father was disgusted by the style. And Hinata knew her father pretty well. Regardless if she was eight, Hiashi would not have her or Hanabi seen in anything but the latest fashions.

Pride ran strongly in her family.

As the poor girl looked at the golden bar and was tempted to put her feet up, she switched her gaze to her father, who was staring at the curtain with such intensity that it was sure to burst into flames any second. On his other side was her young sister, Hanabi, who was curled up next to his arm, already asleep. Hinata wished she was once again three years old...she could use some sleep.

On the other hand, her father had taken the time to make sure she saw this opera.

Hinata knew Hiashi had always appreciated the arts, at that love had been passed on in herself. Hanabi, in her young self, downright loathed them and showed it by crying and/or sleeping at every show.

The eldest girl watched her father carefully. He loved to take her to shows, even if it was a little relutantly. People whispered that he was forcing his motherless daughters to take after him, in hopes of forcing in a little music. Not many knew Hiashi well enough to know that he was a very talented muscian; he'd never let anyone get close enough to him.

But Hinata knew...she had listened to him play, during the deepest hours of the night. She'd sigh, and fall asleep, listening to his music float through her head. To snuggle under her blankets and hear her father play while the whole house was silent was magic to her.

"Hinata. The show's starting." Neji nudged her, quietly.

The eight year old girl blinked in surprise, and turned her attention to the stage. Her older cousin had his long mane of brow hair tied up, and was focused on the beginning show. Hinata's fingers searched for her father's hand and she grasped it. She was surprised to have him accept her touch, and hold her hand.

The curtain rose and Hinata was immediately greeted with such a loud spectacle that she gasped in child like delight.

How lithe were the ballerina's bodies! How graceful they were!

For the first fifteen minutes or so, Hinata watched, a little bored. She was awestruck by the dancers, but what she really anticipated...what she really wanted to see was coming up in just a few minutes.

Finally, the moment was here! Hinata nearly shot up out of her seat, excited. She smiled broadly and bit her lip in happiness. Neji raised his nine year old eyebrow and shook his head. He hated the opera.

A women, with heavy makeup and a glittering elaborate costume, strode onto the stage and bowed. She began to sing, her high soprano voice filling the whole theater.

Hinata sunk down into her seat, and let the music float over her tiny sedated body. The song was smooth and passionate, filled with longing and love. The girl sighed in happiness. This was what she came for: true music.

Suddenly, she felt her father's grip on her hand grow slack. She looked over and to her surprise and fear, Hiashi kneeled over, rigid, his eyes wide in shock. Hinata let his hand fall.

"Father...?" she whispered, kneeling down beside him.

She shook him a little, but the man would not move. She grabbed Neji's hand and pointed to her father, all words failing her. Hanabi was roused and mumbled out sleepily,

"Daddy sleeping?"

Neji was next to her in a flash, his pale hands searching for a pulse. When he froze, Hinata knew her worse thoughts had been confirmed. She began to cry.

The show went on.

----


	2. New Managers

Chapter 1: New Managers

Tsunade sighed, and leaned heavily on the ballet bar as her manager and...esteemed colleague...strode in during yet _another_ practice. Tucking her silver blonde locks back into it's ponytail, she raised herself back up an nodded to some of the more confused ballerinas. She clapped her hands and shouted in her loud voice,

"Stop! Stop! The Jiraiya is here!" she sneered at the manager, as he entered.

At this, many of the younger girls ran out of reach of his lecherous grasp. The man had on an equally michivious smirk, and smacked the behind of a passing ballerina. The girl squeaked and ran back to the changing rooms, where she was sure that Jiraiya would find her later...

"Forgive my intrusion, Lady Tsunade, and Iruka," to this, Iruka rolled his eyes and set down his baton and laid his head down on his conductor's stand. "I have an announcement!"

At this, the ballet stopped, and stared that their perverted manager, wondering what the crazy man would want now? He was pratically turning the opera house into a whore house! With girls running around half naked, squealing, and shaking from pleasures in the dark corners of the building, it was too much to take.

Iruka, very much annoyed, shot a look to Tsunade, and saw that she held the same exasperated look he knew he was displaying. They had the last dress rehersal to get through, and the pressure of opening night of La Carlotta was weighing heavily on both teachers.

However, Jiraiya had brought along two new people. One was tall, silver haired, and had a black mask over his mouth. His left eye had a white bandage over it, and he waved a cheery greeting to the opera house. The other shot him an incredlous look, and took a long drag of his cigratte. He was built up, yet a little shorter then his partner.

"There have been rumors of my retirement, and, regretfully, they are true." Jiraiya announcent in a booming voice.

Some of the girls breathed a sigh of relief.

"In my place, are Kakashi," the silver smiled under the mask, " and Asuma! Please welcome your new managers!"

There was a loud round of clapping and roars of approval, and Jiraiya scowled. Kakashi whispered to him,

"Not well liked, eh?"

The older man frowned and said loudly,

"Allow me to introduce Lady Tsunade, head of the ballet department, and Iruka Umino, the conductor of the orchestra." Jiraiya ticked off their names without really looking at them.

The two new managers bowed to them, and were about to say something when the double doors from the dressing room opened. Someone stormed out, in a fury of pink hair and turned around to yell into the dressing room,

"I'll make sure you never work here again you hussy! Thieving little wretch!" the young girl with pink hair snarled angrily.

A seamstress hurried out after her, trying to fix the last of the pinkette's dress, muttering. When the girl turned and realized her present company, she fanned herself and strode over to the trio of hesitant managers. She was tall and slim, with firy green eyes and shocking pink hair.

"Allow me to introduce the leading soprano for five seasons: Sakura Haruno!" Jiraiya stated proudly.

Sakura, under heavy, vibrant make up, smiled gracefully as her new managers kissed her hand lightly. Kakashi grinned at her from under his mask and said cheerfully,

"Why don't you sing for us?"

Unfortunately, it was at the moment, the seamstress stuck a pin in the very wrong place, bringing out the dark side of the diva. Sakura whilred around and screeched,

"YOU STUPID WOMAN! CUT IT OUT WITH THE PINNING AND THE STICKING AND THE MUTTERING! I WILL NOT BE SINGING! WHERE'S MY DOGGY?! GET MY FLUFFY! WHY IF FLUFFY NOT HERE?! I'M LEAVING! GOODBYE!"

It took Kakashi and Asuma to realize what had just happened when they turned to give a panicked look at Jiraiya.

"What do we do?!" Asuma asked, slight hysteria in his voice.

Jiraiya gave them a blank stare for a second and merely said,

"Grovel."

The two men looked at each other and began to chase after the furious, glittering, soprano whose dress was falling apart at the seams, and her white toy poodle.

"Beautiful singer!"

"Oh, princess of song!"

"Goddess of beauty!"

Iruka rolled his eyes at Tsunade who banged her head on the ballet bar in frustration.

----

"Hinata look!" Ino whispered in a low voice as she dragged the young woman out of the dressing rooms.

Hinata Hyuuga, who was appalled at being forced out only half dressed, quickly covered herself with a navy colored cloak and let her eyes wander in the direction of her friend's finger. Her white eyes locked on Sakura who was throwing yet another dramatic tantrum. She shook her head in disgust.

"When will she learn?" Ino muttered, trying up her blonde locks in a ponytail.

"I don't know." Hinata whispered, secretly wishing she was the one dolled up in that shimmering gown bedecked with jewels and glitter. "I'm just a chorus girl so I wouldn't know."

"Don't be silly. You sing better then that witch does." a new voice broke in.

The two turned to find TenTen, adjusting her thin skirt, making the light material sway. Her eyes were hard and mocking when she stared at Sakura, but when she turned to look at Hinata, they held only the defeat of pity.

"One day Hinata...just you wait."

As Sakura was about to leave, the front doors began to open. In strode in a man, his dark blue garments swishing quietly as he walked down the isle. His face was fair and handsome, while his eyes were dark, almost black.

Hinata gasped and stepped back.

"Hinata? What's wrong?" Ino asked, resting her hand on her friend's pale shoulder.

"It's him...it's Sasuke." Hinata murmured.

"Who-"

Jiraiya quickly stepped foreward and grabbed Sakura's hand before she could take the few final steps towards the door. Sakura turned and huffed, but stopped in mid-breath when she caught the man's handsome features. Jiraiya sniggered.

"This is your new _patron_, Sasuke Uchiha, heir to the Uchiha Clan." Kakashi introduced the man who nodded.

Hinata blinked and let her eyes roam his features. It had been so long since she had set her white eyes upon his black ones. Ino and TenTen stared at him as he walked past, lightly nodded and acknowleding the introductions. Hinata turned away as Sasuke gave Sakura's hand a butterfly kiss and walk smartly past them without saying a word.

"We were childhood sweethearts, you could say." Hinata whispered.

She watched him leave, without even a single glance in her direction. The girl sighed in defeat and glanced at her friends who were giving her pitying looks.

"I wouldn't expect him to recognize me...it's been so long." she said quietly.

"He just didn't see you." Ino said warmly, bracing the smaller girl around the shoulders.

Hinata didn't respond.

----

"He loves me. He loves me! HE LOVES ME!" Sakura giggled loudly as the ballet dancers rolled their eyes, and the doors closed behind to the heir of the Uchiha Clan.

At this, Hinata let out a long sigh and Ino pretended to gag. Kakashi and Asuma took this opportinuty to see what they were getting into. Jiraiya nudged them a bit.

"Now, princess of song, please...sing us something." Asuma said carefully, not knowing what could set off the soprano.

Sakura, put a hand to her forehead dramatically as if ill. She let out a long, heavy sigh as if she was in regret and it was a huge opposition to her. She finally worked her way through the fake tears and said in a throaty voice,

"If my managers command."

"Well then," Kakashi turned to Iruka.

The conductor, startled, said masking his reluctace,

"If my diva commands."

"AND YES, I do." Sakura snapped, and marched to the front of the stage.

Many people turned to leave at this point. Dress rehersal was painful enough without having to listen to the soprano screech her way through another aria. Hinata and Ino, whose mother was Tsunade, were forced to sit through while TenTen gave them an apologetic look and whisked off into one of the many chanmbers of the opera house.

"At the top of the aria then, Lady Sakura." Iruka sighed and tapped his baton on the stand.

Sakura cleared her throat and raised her hands, her eyes set and determined.

"_Think of meeeeeeeee. Think of me fondly when we've said goodbye..."_

Suddenly, one of the rigging pole snapped cleanly in two and fell to the stage below. Hinata gasped while Ino screamed as they were pushed back against the wall by Tsunade.

Sakura was in a furious outrage.

"MY LADY!" Kakashi cried out, rushing to the soprano's aid.

As he gently helped her up, Sakura pushed him off and pointed a finger at Asuma who cowered under the girl's threatening glare. His voice shook as he said soothingly,

"These things...do happen,"

"IT WAS THE OPERA GHOST!" a blonde haired rigging boy shouted out, gleefully.

"Silence, Naruto." Iruka hissed. "This is your fault. This never would have happened if you were at you post, _boy_." he stressed the last word.

The boy fell silent, while the others in the cast began to murmur in agreement.

"THESE THINGS _**HAPPEN**_?! UNTIL YOU STOP THESE THINGS FROM HAPPENING, _**THIS THING DOES NOT HAPPEN**_!" she shrieked violently as she pointed to herself. "GOOD BYE! I'M REALLY LEAVING!"

And she did.

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Review! We will get the next chapter out asap! Thanks!


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